That Day At The Library
by queen misanagi
Summary: Seven-year old Kudou Shinichi is bored. He went to the library that Saturday morning, expecting a nice, quiet visit, only to meet a mischievous and mysterious boy who loves to pull pranks.


**Disclaimer**: I do not own Magic Kaito nor Detective Conan.

**Author's Note**: I got some lines and scenes from DC's Moon Ghost case and MK's Black Star case.

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_That Day at the Library_

Kudou Shinichi was bored.

On Saturday mornings, the seven-year old would usually go to the Mouri residence to meet up with his friend Ran or practice football at Beika park.

That weekend, however, Ran went with her family to Osaka for a trip. He had also recently sprained his ankle so he decided not to risk playing football too soon.

He went to their library earlier that morning and realized he had already read all the books in the shelves. He didn't want to go to the professor's house either because he knew the old geezer would just use him as a subject in his experiments.

He thought about asking his parents to accompany him to the mall to buy a skateboard but he remembered that both of his parents had other plans for that day. His otou-san was asked to go to the police HQ to help investigate some famous thief. His mother was meeting her sensei in magic, or theater, or whatever it is that caught her interest those days.

Kudou Shinichi was bored and he had no one to play with or talk to, so on that Saturday morning, he decided to go to Beika public library to borrow and read more books.

"Ohayou, Shinichi-chan," greeted the guard at the entrance. "I haven't seen you in quite a while. You'll be borrowing more Holmes, I bet!"

Shinichi gave the guard a smile as he handed him his bag for inspection.

"Probably not today, Miyano-san," he said. "I've finished reading all the Holmes last week. And will you please start calling me 'Kudou'? I'm almost eight, you know…"

The young police officer beamed at Shinichi as he returned his bag.

"I forgot. Gomen," the officer said. "Well have a nice day, Kudou-kun."

Shinichi entered the five-storey library and went straight to the fiction section. The shelves were alphabetized and though he would usually go to the shelves labeled with "D", that Saturday morning, he opted to visit "L".

"Leblanc, Leblanc," he muttered to himself as his finger traced a line on the spines of books. "Ah! Here it is!"

When he was about to grab the book, another hand took it out of the shelf.

"Oi I was supposed to get – "

Shinichi wasn't able to finish his sentence. Instead, he found himself staring at the boy holding the book he desired.

He was around his age, and approximately about his height. He was wearing a blue baseball cap backwards on top of what seemed to be very unruly hair. His face and arms were dressed with strips of adhesive bandages but even with those, Shinichi found it remarkable that the boy looked very much like him.

"Finders keepers!" the boy said before sticking his tongue out.

The boy smirked and started to bounce away to the direction where he came from.

"Oi! Chotto matte!" Shinichi called after the boy.

The boy looked behind and saw that Shinichi was after him. Instead of slowing down, the boy picked up his speed.

Shinichi frowned and continued his pursuit. If only his ankle has completely healed, he would've caught up already.

Several people in the library were already reprimanding them for their chase.

"This is a library – not a playground!"

"Someone throw these kids out!"

"SECURITYYYY!"

Shinichi ignored them. He only looked away for a second, to check if some librarians will indeed approach them and escort them out. Once he confirmed that some of the threats were just bluffs, he returned his gaze to the object of his pursuit – only to find out that the boy has somehow vanished.

He looked around. He was in the children's section, where the shelves were painted in rainbow colors and picture books lay scattered on the floor. Several pre-school students were in an enclosed area with padded mats and stuffed toys. In a nearby table were two children – a girl in a white dress and a boy with blonde hair.

Shinichi took a step closer to the two children.

"Hey, have you seen a boy around here? He was just running toward the non-fiction section a while ago but I don't think he got there," Shinichi asked the children.

The girl shook her head and the boy didn't even look at him. Shinichi noticed he was reading a Holmes book.

"I see you're reading _A Study in Scarlet_," Shinichi said as he took another step closer. "If you're starting to read the Holmes series, I suggest you – hey that's an English version of the book!"

The boy put down his book and started at Shinichi.

"I'm half-English and I don't need your advice, thanks," the boy with blonde hair said. "I've read the entire collection twice and I'm just trying to beat my record of the time it took me to finish the series. Last time, it took me twenty-nine days, six hours and forty minutes and… hmm, about ten seconds."

Shinichi raised a brow. The blonde kid returned to reading.

"Well, okay, good luck with that," Shinichi said. "How about you, miss? Seen a boy around? He's about my height and he's wearing a baseball cap backwards and he has – "

The young detective noticed something odd about the girl.

"Your laces are undone, miss," Shinichi said with a smile that emanated a spark of certainty. "Or should I say, boy?"

The girl's eyes widened.

"For a prim-and-proper-looking girl such as yourself, who's wearing a dress with almost no creases, it's a surprise that your shoe laces are untied," Shinichi said. "And I'm not into girl's fashion but even the village idiot can tell that sneakers don't go with dresses."

"The lack of crease on your dress tells you haven't moved much in that dress even if the fresh mud stains on your sneakers indicate that you were probably playing in the library lawn before you went inside," Shinichi said. "With such rough playing, I really doubt your dress would be that spotless."

The girl in the dress with muddy, unlaced shoes gaped.

"Should I continue?" Shinichi said.

Surprisingly, the blonde kid shut his book and spoke.

"You have also been panting and sweating since you sat beside me. Your sweat should have made a mark on your dress but they didn't, so I deduce that you are wearing something underneath that elegant, white dress," the blonde kid said.

"Speaking of the laces, they came undone just recently, when you were already inside the library," he continued. "I should know because the friendly officer guarding the entrance reminded me to tie my shoelaces when I was about to enter. I gamble he would say the same thing to other kids with untied shoelaces. From all these, I can conclude that you've been running inside and you are wearing a disguise. This boy who is also sweating from running, is asking for a certain boy and I would bet my life that it is you, you cross-dresser!"

The boy pretending to be a girl took off his wig to reveal the familiar unruly hair Shinichi had seen earlier.

"I can't believe you noticed those!" boy who looked similar to Shinichi said, as he was wiping off concealer with the back of his hand. He turned to Shinichi. "Do you want the book that much?"

Shinichi smirked. "That's not it, I just – "

"Hey, why did you do it?" interrupted the blonde kid. "Why did you cross-dress like that? If this boy was running after you, you could've just hid behind some shelves. Are you really a cross-dresser or a disguise apprentice of sorts? Really, how come you've done that?"

The boy who looked a lot like Shinichi frowned as he looked back and forth at Shinichi and the blonde kid.

"Who are you guys?" he asked.

"A _detective_," Shinichi said in English quite loudly.

"_Defective_?" his look-alike asked. "Isn't that the English word for things that are not working properly?"

"Not _defective_! _De-tec-tive_! A tantei!" Shinichi said, louder than before.

The blonde kid cleared his throat. "Amusing as you two are, I really need my peace and quiet so I can break my record. Do you mind bringing your childish game to another place? Somewhere outside the library, I suggest."

He opened his book again and buried his face in it. Shinichi's look-alike jumped off the chair and removed the dress.

Shinichi motioned for the boy to follow him to the non-fiction section. As they were going away, he heard the blonde Holmes fan mutter things like "undisciplined Japanese kids", "good thing this visit is just for a week" and "catch a plane back to London ASAP".

"Here," his look-alike tossed him the book. Shinichi caught it.

"If you wanted it so much, all you have to do was ask," he said. "You kinda freaked me out when you started running after me that's why I ran away and even put on that disguise."

"Arigatou," Shinichi replied. "Actually, we have this book at home but I haven't read it in the longest time because one of okaa-san's friends borrowed the entire series and hasn't returned them yet."

"Oh," the boy said. "Then you don't mind if I borrow it."

Shinichi heard a popping sound and taffy-looking smoke clouded his eyes. Through the smoke, he saw the book disappear in his hands. It reappeared dangling in between the other boy's thumb and right index finger.

With the unwelcome and unexpected apparition of the pink-colored smoke, several bystanders panicked.

"Is there a fire?"

"Are those kids playing with matches?"

"They're burning a book!"

"SECURITYYYYY!"

Shinichi grabbed the boy's free hand and ran to the elevators. When he looked around and saw that no one was actually following them, he sighed of relief.

"And you have to show off like that!" he said in frustration.

"No fun if I just take it back like that, ne?" his look-alike said. "And, ano, can you let go of my hand now?"

Shinichi blushed as he quickly removed his grip from the boy's hand. The elevator opened and they both went inside. Shinichi pressed the button marked with five.

"You're a magician, ne?" Shinichi asked.

"Hai," the boy confirmed. "Learned from the best."

"Who's your master or magic trainer – what do you call them, anyway?"

The boy flashed Shinichi another toothy smile.

"You said you're a detective. Why don't you find that out?" the boy said. "And why are you bringing me to the fifth floor? Do you want to hold me hostage there or interrogate me, _Mr. Detective_?"

The elevator doors opened. The two boys walked out.

"This level doesn't have so many people so we can talk in peace, plus there's a giant mirror," Shinichi said. "That's what I was telling a while ago – I wasn't really after the book… I'm – I'm actually surprised you haven't noticed it yet…"

"Noticed what?"

The boy gaped. They were now standing in front of a mirror that covered an entire wall. The boy was in awe was at the reflection of the two identical boys standing beside each other.

"This is just like in _The Prince and the Pauper_," the boy said. "Except you don't really look so poor."

"Oi oi and I'm the poor one? Look at those bandages all over your face and arms!" Shinichi said.

"It's part of the training, you know," the boy magician said. "You make a mistake so you cut yourself and stuff…"

Both boys examined their reflections in silence. After some time, the boy asked, "You think we're related or something?"

Shinichi shrugged. "I just know a lot of my relatives are living in America now," he said.

"Maybe that's another mystery you can solve, detective," the magician-in-training said. "And here, you can have the book."

The boy handed Shinichi the novel.

"Actually, my otou-san brought the entire series at home a few weeks ago and I've read all of them," he said. "A while ago, I really just wanted to get the book before you did… As a prank… Just wanted to see if my hands were fast enough."

Shinichi glared at the boy before accepting the book.

"Arigatou," Shinichi said through his teeth. This boy really is something, he thought.

"I actually wanted you to chase after me 'cause it's so boring at home and I've no one to play with. You see, my otou-san's working today and I usually train – erm, what I mean is play with him," the boy said.

Shinichi was caught off guard with that confession. Seconds later, he burst into laughter. He couldn't stop from laughing that tears started to well up in his eyes.

"Weirdo! What's so funny?" the boy asked. He was a bit alarmed so he looked around. Thankfully, they were the only ones who seem to be on the floor.

"I'm actually in a similar situation and well, to be honest, you did kill my boredom," Shinichi said. "I just don't get why a boy like you who wants to play around would go to the library…"

The boy sighed. "Isn't it obvious? A quiet, peaceful haven like this is the perfect place to wreak havoc," he said.

"Hey those are big words," Shinichi joked. "By the way, magician apprentice, what's your name?"

The boy beamed.

"Oh you'd recognize my surname because my otou-san is super famous," the boy said. "It's Kai – "

Before the boy was able to answer, the elevator doors opened and an old man appeared. He had balding gray hair and a beard parted neatly at the middle. He started running toward the boys.

"Obo-chama! I've been looking everywhere for you! Your otou-san told me to fetch you here and bring you to the clock tower. He said he'll meet you there since his work is almost done," the old man said.

"Geez, Jii, you didn't have to make such a fuss," the boy magician said.

The old man gestured toward the elevators.

"Well, it was nice meeting you, _Mr. Detective_," the boy magician said. He started walking to the elevators. "Maybe we'll meet again…"

"Yeah… Who knows?" Shinichi replied.

O O O

Shinichi stayed until noon at the library. He did borrow the _Arsene Lupin, Gentleman Thief_ book, along with an instructional book about firearm handling.

He decided to walk home and as he was nearing his house, he was surprised to find his friend, Mouri Ran, waiting by their gate.

"Mouri-san! I thought you're in Osaka?" he asked as he ran towards the girl.

"We had to go back because otou-san was called to work. Police thing," she said.

"Have you been waiting long? You should've stayed at the doctor's place while waiting for me," Shinichi said.

"Iie," she said. "I came from Sonoko-chan's house and she was about to leave with her family to go to a business party," she said.

Unexpectedly, she started to tear up.

"Oi oi don't cry! What happened?" Shinichi asked in panic.

"Before she left, she told me about the monster in the library!" she said.

The building panic in Shinichi's chest was instantly transformed to anger.

"THERE ARE NO SUCH THINGS AS MONSTERS!"

"There are! Sonoko-chan went to the library before going home yesterday and met the guy who delivers new books to the library… He said… he said that a monster appears in the library every full moon!"

Shinichi stared blankly at his friend who was obviously holding back tears.

"Shinichi! I'm so scared!" she started to bawl as she threw her arms around him.

Shinichi felt himself blush. "Oi I told you, it's Kudou-kun," he said.

"Go-gomen, I'm just really scared and I don't want to go to school anymore," she said, still crying. "Shini—I mean, Kudou-kun, I don't want to be eaten by monsters!"

Shinichi could feel the tears wet his shirt. He also felt his face going hot.

"There's going to be a full moon next week so if you want, I can go to the library and make sure the monster doesn't exist," he said.

Ran let go of him. She stopped crying and was wiping her tears away with the back of his arm.

"You'll do that for me?" she asked before smiling.

"Ba-ro! I'll do it to prove to you that monsters are not real!"

Ran smiled. "Still, Arigatou, Kudou-kun," she said.

"And I'll do it for detective's honor," Shinichi said.

"Yeah you're _Mr. Detective_ all right," said a Ran who was getting back to her old self again.

"_Mr. Detective_?" Shinichi said softly. "I feel like I'm forgetting something…"

"Huh?"

"Sou! I forgot to get that boy's name!"

O O O

The boy magician had been waiting near the clock tower for over an hour for his otou-san. It was almost quarter past noon. He and the old man with graying, balding hair were sitting on a bench in the park near the clock tower.

"Jii, you said he'll be here soon," he told his companion.

"Maybe the master got caught up in work again," the old man said. "Just be a little more patient, obo-chama."

The boy pouted. "Can I play and blow up stuff while waiting?"

The old man nodded. "I'll just be here," he said.

The boy jumped off the bench and walked around. He saw a lot of families on mats, having picnics. He saw dogs jogging along with their masters. He saw a dark-skinned boy shouting at a stout man who was wearing formal attire.

"Otaki! I want to go home!" the boy said, with Kansai accent. "It's so boring here and I've no one to play with and I missed my kendo practice and Tokyo's okonomiyaki sucks!"

"Hei-chan, you know why we have to be here," the man said, who also had Kansai accent. "Just be patient and wait until your otou-san arrives. If you knew you're going to be bored, you should've played with Inspector Hakuba's son. I heard his otou-san was also called here to investigate that thief."

"I heard that kid's too serious…I don't want to meet him," the dark-skinned boy said. "His idea of fun could be locking himself up in a library or whatever."

The man crossed his arms. "If I knew any better, I'd say you just miss playing with Kazuha-chan!"

"IIE! It's not like that!"

The boy magician was starting to get annoyed with how bratty the boy seemed so he stopped eavesdropping and walked around a bit more.

In front of the entrance to the tower, he saw a lonely-looking girl who was probably his age. She was wearing a pink dress with white collar and cuffs.

She's kind of cute, the boy magician thought.

He went behind a tree to put rip off his adhesive bandages and put concealer on visible scars. After making sure that he didn't look like a casualty in a traffic accident, he approached the girl.

"I've been watching you," the boy told the girl. "You've been standing here for some time…"

"I'm waiting for someone," the girl replied.

"Huh? You're waiting for someone?" the boy magician asked.

The girl nodded. "I'm waiting for my otou-san," she said.

The girl looked down. The boy felt that the girl was really sad or disappointed. Maybe they're supposed to have training too or maybe he promised to play with her this weekend, he thought.

"But he's been busy with his work all week," she continued.

The boy smiled. He knew exactly what would cheer her up.

"Here," he said. He materialized a red rose and offered it to the girl. The girl's face instantly lit up.

"I'm Kuroba Kaito," the boy said. "It's nice to meet you."


End file.
